Guatemala - Guacamaya / Caturra / Washed (Green Coffee) 1KG

This washed Caturra comes from second-generation producer Nery Pablo López and his farm Guacamaya, located in the hills surrounding the small town of Ajul in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Sitting at approximately 1,900 metres above sea level, Guacamaya is a small 4.2-hectare farm where Nery grows coffee beneath the shade of Chalum and Gravilea trees, alongside avocado, lemon, orange and peach. The farm is predominantly planted with traditional Red Bourbon and Yellow Caturra, with this particular lot composed entirely of Caturra.

Nery has been surrounded by coffee for most of his life and today manages Guacamaya with the help of his family. As a member of the El Sendero Cooperative, he also receives support and training around harvesting and processing, while maintaining control over production through his own small wet mill and drying facilities at the farm.

During harvest, the cherries are selectively hand-picked by Nery and his relatives, requiring multiple passes through the trees to ensure the fruit is collected at optimum ripeness.

Once harvested, the whole cherries undergo a short pre-fermentation in sacks for approximately 12–24 hours, with the duration adjusted according to ambient temperature. The cherries are then washed and depulped before undergoing a further fermentation of up to 12 hours.

The following day, the parchment is thoroughly washed using fresh water from the nearby Río Azul before being spread across Guacamaya's concrete patio to dry. Depending on weather conditions, drying takes approximately one week, with the coffee carefully managed until it reaches a stable moisture content. 

Guacamaya is a beautiful example of what we love about high-elevation washed coffees from Huehuetenango. It's structured and clean, but certainly not lacking in character, with a creamy sweetness complemented by bright fruit and delicate florals.

The current harvest presents mandarin-like acidity alongside toffee apple and stone fruit, finishing with a gentle black tea character. It's an elegant and versatile coffee that should respond beautifully to a considered filter roast, while having enough sweetness and structure to work equally well as a lighter, fruit-forward espresso.

Expected flavour profile: Mandarin, toffee apple, stone fruit and black tea.